Bond and Corinne are dropped into the caverns where they try to help Melendez by fashioning a splint from their clothes and wood that has been dropped. The trio make their way through the dark caverns, fighting off an attack by a hungry lion.
Melendez sacrifices himself (and, ultimately redeems himself) to the lion, allowing Bond and Corinne to escape through a tunnel that is submerged in a pool of water. Despite almost drowning as the tunnel is much longer than either person expected, they find a small hollow to take another breath before swimming the rest of the distance down the tunnel and emerging onto Saba's golden beach where they collapse into each others arms.
After this, presumably, we'd move into the Canada sequences.
Yeah that sounds good. Did we drop the giant squid fight?
The only thing I'd change is instead of "natural caverns", have them use a real world area, one of Saba's abandoned sulfur mines :
Which would explain how they find some handy pieces of wood down there, and maybe add an extra threat in that they have to get out fast or they'll suffocate. And we should get a couple of Siberian tigers in there too! Also of note, Saba has a place called "Booby Hill". Hmm. Is that where Ti-ti's bar is?
Which would explain how they find some handy pieces of wood down there, and maybe add an extra threat in that they have to get out fast or they'll suffocate. And we should get a couple of Siberian tigers in there too! Also of note, Saba has a place called "Booby Hill". Hmm. Is that where Ti-ti's bar is?
I'll check out the Canada stuff in a bit.
We can always reinsert the giant squid fight if it's in demand to be included and we can certainly shift the natural caverns to the abandoned sulfur mines if it's biologically feasible. And yes, we could throw a couple of Siberian tigers into the scene - shouldn't be a problem.
Booby Hill. Could be an amusing joke, depending on where Ti-ti's bar is (as due to the scenes we've put there, it needs to be overlooking the harbor). I did ponder whether to christen Ti-ti's bar '33 1/3 Love Lane' but there's only one road on Saba, according to what information I pulled up, so didn't use that idea - unless that would be the bars name and the joke would be that there is no Love Lane.
Corinne has been taken to the Dreamy Pines Motel in the Rocky Mountains where she is being guarded by MI6. However, Quantum have tracked Corinne down and have sent two men - Morant and Horowitz - to take her into custody. They claim to be working for the motel owner (whom they have killed by shooting him between the eyes so that his car veers off the road, over a cliff and into a valley where it explodes in a fireball) to get past the guards and shoot them. The guards are shot and after binding Corinne's hands and feet with rope and throwing her into the boot of the car, they douse the motel in petrol and throw a burning match onto the surface - the hotel bursts into flame.
Morant and Horowitz drive away from the burning motel with Corinne stashed in the boot of their car.
Yes some good TSWLM-based stuff here, though at this point I guess we have to figure out what Quantum's role in this all is?
THE YUKON TERRITORIES, CANADA
MI6 have tracked Costigan to a remote airstrip in the Yukon Territories. It is a private airstrip and the ownership is tracked to one of Rusayev's companies. Bond has co-opted Fleur to help him infiltrate the airstrip, uncover whatever Rusayev has planned and to recover the mysterious cannister jettisoned from the shuttle that supposedly crashed in Siberia. The airstrip can be accessed only by a single road and that is under heavy guard. The only other option is to go cross country which would involve several miles of hiking and skiing - which is what happens as a helicopter skims low across the surface of a frozen lake and two figures wearing combat suits bungee out of the back. This is Bond and Fleur - and they unclip the bungee cord when they reach the ground before putting together skis and ski poles from the packs on their backs.
All good here. But I'd add something else :
Rusayev appears at a public press conference announcing SEEL has formed a treaty with Canada and the Alaskan governor to allow his teams to retrofit and restructure certain sections of pipeline in order to bring them up to new green standards (and thus he brings in trucks and equipment without arousing suspicion). If we want to be cheeky, have a scene where Rusayev poses for a photo op with a slightly familiar looking Alaskan governor, who jokes about being able to see Russia from her house. (Too silly even for EON?)
The duo set off across the snow covered landscapes, dodging around trees and closing on the airstrip. As they get closer, they set off a perimeter alarm and a squad of guards are dispatched by Costigan on skis. There follows a pitched fight between Bond, Fleur and the guards - as Bond and Fleur's ski-poles are revealed to mask rifles and their ski-goggles double as targeting scanners and night-vision goggles.
We should throw in some extra jeopardy, otherwise it might look like Bond and Fleur have an unfair advantage with their gadgets and are shooting fish in a barrel. Guards in snowmobiles? Some other kind of new, cutting edge snow vehicle? Maybe add TND's deleted ice waterfall climb if we have time!
Skip to :
I'd imagine that, following the sequences in Canada, MI6 would somehow track Rusayev and Corinne down to China where the final confrontation and the truck/helicopter stunt would presumably take place.
CHINA
His plan exposed and the authorities coming for him, Rusayev flees over the Russian border into China, taking Corinne and his last squad of loyal men with him. There he has a hidden underground compound (of course) in the Flaming Mountains (a desert region, to balance with the tropical and icy locales we've used so far!) In a huge hangar, we find an AX-21 aircraft. Hmm, wasn't this the thing that Bond destroyed in the PTS? Why, yes. Through some dialogue probably involving M and "his opposite number in Moscow", they piece together that the AX-21 was stolen from a CIA facility by Costigan and delivered to Moscow. But, anticipating the west would be onto the theft quickly, Rusayev left a dummy lookalike plane in the Red Square warehouse, secretly moving the real one to China. What's so special about this plane? It is able to completely submerge, dive, and travel underwater.
To be continued...if anyone can tie in what Quantum are doing in all this
Good work, dinovelvet. I love your suggestions for changing up the Canada sequence.
Re: Quantum, I was working on the initial assumption that Rusayev was a 'client' company for Quantum, they killed the goon in Moscow because he was a loose end and tried to kill the person that Fleur was undercover as because he/she had uncovered something about the uranium mining plot.
Given that the AX-21 doesn't seem to tie into the plot of bombing the oil pipelines, could it be that Rusayev arranged the theft of the plane and kept it in the Flaming Mountains depot as part of his payment to Quantum?
Assuming that Quantum just want the plane and aren't bothered about the turn-out of Rusayev's plan, would it be an outside possibility that Quantum (through a phonecall from Mr White) could alert MI6 to the existence of the Flaming Mountains depot?
Here is the revised Canada segment - and a bit of the China sequences.
THE YUKON TERRITORIES, CANADA
Meanwhile, in Whitehorse, the capital of the Yukon. Rusayev appears at a public press conference announcing SEEL has formed a treaty with Canada (represented by the Premier of the Yukon) and the Alaskan governor to allow his teams to retrofit and restructure certain sections of pipeline in order to bring them up to new green standards (and thus he brings in trucks and equipment without arousing suspicion). Rusayev poses for a photo op with a slightly familiar looking Alaskan governor, who jokes about being able to see Russia from her house.
Elsewhere, MI6 have tracked Costigan to a remote airstrip in the Yukon Territories.
It is a private airstrip and the ownership is tracked to one of Rusayev's companies. Bond has co-opted Fleur to help him infiltrate the airstrip, uncover whatever Rusayev has planned and to recover the mysterious cannister jettisoned from the shuttle that supposedly crashed in Siberia. The airstrip can be accessed only by a single road and that is under heavy guard. The only other option is to go cross country which would involve several miles of hiking and skiing - which is what happens as a helicopter skims low across the surface of a frozen lake and two figures wearing combat suits bungee out of the back. This is Bond and Fleur - and they unclip the bungee cord when they reach the ground before putting together skis and ski poles from the packs on their backs.
The duo set off across the snow covered landscapes, dodging around trees and closing on the airstrip, even climbing up a waterfall that has frozen solid. Fleur's ski SMASHES on the frozen waterfall and severely hampers their travel until Bond comes up with an idea. Fleur balances on Bond's ski's behind him and she holds on to his waist - as she hitches a lift, they fly across the snowy ground. As they get closer, they set off a perimeter alarm and a squad of guards on snowmobiles are dispatched by Costigan on skis, snow mobiles and a caterpillar tracked antarctic snow cruiser carrying a squad of troops. It is clear that this is a major offensive for the organisation as their plan depends on the succesfull maintenance of the staging post at the airfield. There follows a pitched fight between Bond, Fleur and the guards - as Bond and Fleur's ski-poles are revealed to mask rifles and their ski-goggles double as targeting scanners and night-vision goggles. Bond fells the final guard with a precisely placed shot to the head - and he and Fleur swap suits into the uniforms of the guards before climbing onto the antarctic snow cruiser and moving onwards to the airstrip.
At the airstrip, Costigan is supervising scientists unloading the uranium from the canister and manufacturing a low yield nuclear bomb that Rusayev wants him to eject from his plane in a precisely placed drop zone near an oil pipeline on the Alaska/Canada border. Several bombs have been placed - this will be the last.
Bond and Fleur infiltrate the airstrip and uncover a list of locations the bombs have been planted. As Fleur is radioing in the locations, Costigan shoots her through the heart and engages in a face-off with Bond. Costigan claims to be sad that Fleur is near death and that he hasn't had intercourse with her - but, he points out, that the other party being dead hasn't stopped him before. Bond is disgusted. The pair engage in a close quarters fight through the airstrip complex - and Bond learns that Corinne has been kidnapped from protective custody and is being held by Rusayev. If the bombs don't detonate, then the Russian will shoot Corinne.
Costigan dies when Bond pushes him into the rotor blade of an idling plane and blood splatters everywhere. Bond radio's for a team to come in and recover the uranium and secure the airstrip.
CHINA
His plan exposed and the authorities coming for him, Rusayev flees over the Russian border into China, taking Corinne and his last squad of loyal men with him. There he has a hidden base at a former Chinese Army arms depot in the Flaming Mountains (a desert region, to balance with the tropical and icy locales we've used so far!). In a huge hangar, we find an AX-21 aircraft. Hmm, wasn't this the thing that Bond destroyed in the PTS? Why, yes. Through some dialogue probably involving M and "his opposite numbers in Moscow", General Anatol Gogol of the SVR and they piece together that the AX-21 was stolen from a CIA facility by Costigan and delivered to Moscow. But, anticipating the west would be onto the theft quickly, Rusayev left a dummy lookalike plane in the Red Square warehouse, secretly moving the real one to a foreign location - but where? What's so special about this plane? It is able to completely submerge, dive, and travel underwater.
Mr White arrives at the warehouse with a team of Quantum technicians and goons to take possession of the AX 21. It's clear that Mr White (and, by default, Quantum as a whole) are disappointed with the way that Rusayev has handled the operation to bomb the pipelines sitting on the Alaska/Canada border but are taking their payment for lending him the help he requested - the AX-21. Mr White's personnel secure the AX-21 on a larger plane and Mr White climbs into a Sikorsky CH-53 and vanishes over the horizon leaving Rusayev to his fate.
As the Sikorsky CH-53 vanishes into the distance and the heat haze, Mr White pulls out his cell phone and dials a number. CUT TO the airstrip in the Yukon where Bond picks up his phone -
Mr White - James, such a pleasure to hear your voice again. It seems that we're dealing with the same person. I'd like to lend a hand. There's an arms depot in the Flaming Mountains that the PLA would have you think is abandoned - it isn't. Take these numbers down - you will find the arms depot at these coordinates ...
Bond listens as Mr White gives the GPS coordinates of the arms depot and as the call comes to an end, we see Mr White wind down the window of the helicopter and drop the plane out into the air until it tumbles to the ground and smashes to pieces on the hard desert floor.
I saw it as a good way to bring in exactly how Quantum were involved in the plot as I interpreted it. The only problem that remains is that it leaves Quantum with the AX-21 unless we can think of some way for them to steal it back?
Bond listens as Mr White gives the GPS coordinates of the arms depot and as the call comes to an end, we see Mr White wind down the window of the helicopter and drop the plane out into the air until it tumbles to the ground and smashes to pieces on the hard desert floor.
I was going to bash out an ending, but a question for Terminus before I have a go at it - what did you have in mind for why Quantum/White wants to destroy the plane rather than keep it?
I have only just realised that I typed plane instead of phone - he was meant to drop his phone out of the window so that they couldn't use it to track him somehow. I anticipated that Quantum were due to get away with the plane - or else Rusayev would have anticipated their betrayal and planted a bomb in it.
I have only just realised that I typed plane instead of phone - he was meant to drop his phone out of the window so that they couldn't use it to track him somehow.
Ah! Well that does change things quite a bit. I'll be back...
I look forward to it. It would be fabulous if we could convince someone to do a poster for the movie - speaking of which, we need to find ourselves a title.
Any suggestions for a title, anyone? Have we got room to apply one of the unused Fleming titles to the movie - Risico, Hildebrand Rarity, The Property of a Lady? Out of the three I'd plump for Risico - as it's got the broadest scope and could easily be the name of the assignment Bond undertakes, a la Thunderball.
Bond listens as Mr White gives the GPS coordinates of the arms depot and as the call comes to an end, we see Mr White wind down the window of the helicopter and drop the phone out into the air until it tumbles to the ground and smashes to pieces on the hard desert floor.
And from here :
Bond contacts M, who arranges with the CIA (and Felix?) for a special forces team to join Bond in storming the Chinese compound. We see a "preparation" scene where everyone suits up and loads their weapons, set to an Audioslave song in true Michael Mann fashion.
The team blows open the entrance and invades the hideout; a huge firefight breaks out inside the base, a classic "big team battle" style climax a la GF, YOLT, TSWLM, etc.
Bond chases Rusayev into a huge hangar/garage filled with jets, jeeps, and a tanker truck. Rusayev surprises Bond and strikes him with a tire iron; a brutal physical fight between the two men ensues. Bond is slammed against a control desk in the middle of the room as Rusayev takes out a gun from a hidden compartment in the desk.
He gloats as he has Bond at gunpoint; cue a mad speech somewhere along the lines of "You have won nothing, Bond. I will strike again in a matter of weeks; with Quantum's backing, all accusations against me will be dismissed as lies and propaganda."
"Speaking of lies, Maxim, who do you think told me where to find you? You're a man without a country, and without a friend"
As Rusayev realizes he's been given up, a radio report blasts out from the console "Sir, we're being overwhelmed! Recommend activate self destruct sequ---!" as gunfire cuts the voice off. While Rusayev is distracted, Bond HITS a switch on the console and the ROOF OPENS UP, instantly bathing the room in sunlight.
Rusayev SCREAMS as he's exposed to the light and flails around wildly, looking for an escape. (*Did we keep in that scene where we explain he's allergic to sunlight?) Bond grabs the gun as two of Maxim's soldiers burst in; Bond drops them both in a shootout as Maxim crawls into an office.
Maxim locks himself into the office: Bond shoots at the window but it's bulletproof, the heavy door won't budge. Through the glass, Maxim holds up his cellphone and says he's just dialled in the destruct code; Bond has five minutes to get out. He demands to know where Corinne is; Maxim tells him she's locked in a room on the far side of the compound. "Should take you about four minutes to get there. Or you can stay and see that I die. Your choice, Bond". Angrily, Bond leaves, knowing Maxim will escape as soon as he's left the room.
Bond runs out of the room, through the ongoing shootout, tells the CIA to get out of there, and then finds Corinne tied to a chair in a hidden room. The two race back out through the complex as explosions go off, huge girders and debris collapsing everywhere. Dodging into the hangar as wreckage caves in, Bond sees the office is empty and the tanker truck has gone. Most of the vehicles are on fire or can't be moved, but leaning against the wall is a battered motorbike...
The two get on the back and Bond races out through the exit tunnel, steering to avoid collapsing beams, and vaulting over burning debris. If we want to do an over the top stunt, try a barrel roll/flip maneuver, say something like this :
Bond and Corinne emerge from the exit as the complex collapses into the ground behind them. The surviving assault team are waiting for an airlift as their truck was destroyed in the blast. Bond looks to see a small moving speck in the distance disappearing along a dirt round...Maxim in the tanker truck.
Bond gets a machine pistol from one of the assault team and starts up the bike again, Corinne getting on the back.
Bond - What do you think you're doing? Corinne - What do you think YOU'RE doing? I'm going after him! Bond - Get off the bike, you'll just slow me down. Corinne - You know, the longer you sit here arguing, the further away he's getting.
Bond rolls his eyes and heads off after the truck, Corinne sitting behind him. As they move away from the troops, Corinne reaches out and GRABS a M72 LAW single shot rocket launcher from one of the CIA men and slings it on her back.
Excellent. Now we just need to bring this baby to a close. Here's a possible ending, I'm not completely happy with the final set of events in the Bezeklik caves so if anyone has any ideas, throw them out - they're probably better than anything I've come up with.
And we still need a title.
Bond guns the accelerator and the bike whips through barren sandstone landscape, the mountains rising in the background and the tanker truck coming closer, the faster bike closing the distance in next to no time. Corinne, wielding the M72 LAW tries to get off a shot at the truck but can't get a good lock on it - after all, she is forced to admit, she was an accountant for Canadian Intelligence and not a sniper. Bond and Corinne swap positions without cutting speed - it's a dangerous and deadly maneuvere but it works. Just. Corinne almost gets flipped from the bike and ends up with a nasty scrape down her exposed thigh. But now, Bond is able to maneuvere the M72 LAW and brings the tanker truck into his sights, fingers the trigger and BLASTS the tanker truck to kingdom come.
Rusayev is thrown free of the truck - he's bleeding heavily after being thrown through the windscreen and rolling across the truck. As Bond and Corinne dismount the motorbike, Rusayev throws himself through the desert at the entrance to the Bezeklik Caves rising in front of him. He rolls down an incline into the courtyard before ducking into the shade of an entrance way. Bond and Corinne follow and therein follows a cat and mouse chase through the seventy seven rock-cut Thousand Buddha Caves. Bond eventually corners Rusayev on the balcony that overlooks a valley with a winding river running through it - there are no tourists in sight, the attraction is closed. It's just Bond, Corinne and Rusayev.
Bond aims his P99 at Rusayev - as the thundering sound of a helicopters rotors rises from the valley below the caves. Rusayev climbs into the open door of the helicopter and waves adieu to Bond. The helicopter, with machine guns attached to its landing skids angles to face Bond - in slow motion, Bond and the pilot look at each other as the pilots finger closes on the trigger and Bond dives for the cover of one of the caves.
KA-BLOOM! A bullet slices through the head of the pilot and another through the fuel tank. The helicopter blossoms into an immense fireball. Corinne stands off to the side with the machine pistol that Bond grabbed at the depot, she drops it and runs over to Bond as the flaming helicopter crashes into the valley floor and explodes - shooting another giant fireball into the sky. As Bond takes Corinne into his arms and takes a moment to take a deep breath, he turns to her and raises a questioning eyebrow - "Lucky shot," she shrugs.
Saba, Netherland Antilles
"No television, no radio, no telephone ..." whispers Bond as he runs his fingers up Corinne's sweat slick abdomen. He's lying on his stomach, tastefully naked as a thin cotton blanket is draped across both himself and the Canadian woman. The balcony doors are open and the sounds of the Saba rainforest drift in and fills the simple luxury of the Ecolodge on Saba.
"Whatever are we going to do, ma cherie?"
Bond pulls her closer, propping himself up on a muscular forearm and laying a kiss on her lips. She responds, hungrily and greedy. "I don't know," responds Bond. "But I'm sure we can find something to occupy our time ..."
He rolls on top of her as we pull out through the open doors of the ecolodge and into the gentle sounds of the rainforest, further out to the exotic landscape of the island of Saba and we hear - "Oh, James ..."
Great work, you two. Everything has come together very organically. I'll re-read the entire thing again to try to find any parts I take issue with and post comments afterward. But as for now, I love what I see.
Glad you appreciate what we've done so far - was trying to find somewhere with the Fleming chapter titles but can't find it. I know I was talking about this with someone and they suggested we use that Talk of the Devil title for it if we don't go with an actual Fleming title. Thoughts?
Yes, once we've finalised the draft of UB23 - then, presumably, we'd move on to Ultimate Bond 24. I think that there's several backers for Talk of the Devil, so we've pretty much got the title sorted - if everyone gives a thumbs up to the outline as it stands then we could move on to the next round.
That would be the concern about it, though all we'd need to do would be to stick in a line into the outline where Bond is talking about Rusayev who then walks into the room - cue the line 'talk of the devil'. Or the other way round with Bond being the subject of the line.
Yes, once we've finalised the draft of UB23 - then, presumably, we'd move on to Ultimate Bond 24. I think that there's several backers for Talk of the Devil, so we've pretty much got the title sorted - if everyone gives a thumbs up to the outline as it stands then we could move on to the next round.
Cool. Shotgun the plot of it, because I've got a really good spin on MOONRAKER in mind.
Why not throw in a reference to the villain being nicknamed "the Son of the Devil"? Makes it a little easier to connect...
Whilst it's a neat idea, I'm not sure it fits in with the title. As you're probably aware, there's the phrase, 'talk of the devil and he doth appear' and I assumed this was what the title would refer to - it doesn't necessarily need the extra elaboration of the villain being nicknamed 'son of the devil'.
Yes, once we've finalised the draft of UB23 - then, presumably, we'd move on to Ultimate Bond 24. I think that there's several backers for Talk of the Devil, so we've pretty much got the title sorted - if everyone gives a thumbs up to the outline as it stands then we could move on to the next round.
Cool. Shotgun the plot of it, because I've got a really good spin on MOONRAKER in mind.
coco1997 has suggested to me that I ought to post the treatment as it stands, as people may not want to dig through posts to piece together the treatment, so people can read it through and give it the greenlight. And I agree. So, here it is ...
GUNBARREL OPENS ON
MOSCOW
The circular gunbarrel pulls out to reveal we are in MOSCOW. The camera drifts over colorful church spires to a seemingly deserted warehouse. But behind tinted windows, ARMED GUARDS are inside, watching over the sleek-looking top secret AX-21 VTOL experimental aircraft. Two of the guards speak in Russian-tinged English* (Paul Haggis to actually make the dialogue bearable later on, of course )
Guard 1 - I am worried, Oleg. They cannot just steal an aircraft like this and not expect reprisals. Guard 2 - Relax, Dimitri. It's easy work, and they are paying us double. And for what? Nothing! We are in Moscow. Nobody will be foolish enough to try anything here.
IN THE SKY - a jet black shadow of a stealth plane circles above the Square. The cargo bay doors open and a lone FIGURE CLAD IN BLACK drops out, camouflaged against the night sky. He NOSEDIVES for several hundred feet, plummetting straight towards Red Square, as he pulls a cord. An entire PARAGLIDER rig instantly unfolds from his backpack, sending the figure into a graceful swoop, arcing towards the warehouse.
Through NIGHT VISION GOGGLES, we see the figure's POV as he steers. A digital display reads "Scanning codes...FOUND". The figure presses a button and as the paraglider steers closer, the huge warehouse DOORS SLIDE OPEN at both ends.
Inside the guards panic. "They've found us!", "Kill anyone who enters!".
Still up in the air, the mystery figure withdraws a GUN and FIRES IT through the open doors. A tiny object imbeds into the concrete, as Guard Oleg rushes over to it. He examines it. "EMP? What is EMP?"
As if to answer, the tiny object FLASHES and a shockwave of energy fills the room, blowing out the power and plunging everything into blackness. Right on cue, the paraglider SAILS into the room. Guards FIRE WILDLY, missing everything as the paraglider calmly floats over the aircraft, dropping another tiny object on top of it.
The glider is already hurtling out of the other end of the warehouse before anyone has a clue what's happened. BEHIND THE WAREHOUSE, the glider finally touches down in a junkyard. The figure folds the chute up in seconds and stuffs it into a wrecked car. Finally he removes the goggles and helmet. It is JAMES BOND, 007. Peeling off his jumpsuit, he is wearing an unusually cheap/loud suit by Bond's standard. In the pocket is a tiny flask; he removes the lid and POURS THE CONTENTS OVER HIMSELF. Right on cue, SHOUTING AND FLASHLIGHT BEAMS light up the area. Guards pour in as Bond staggers around, clutching the flask.
Guard 1- "Who are you? Did you see anyone come through here?" Bond - (Russian accent) "Where is...bar? I am out of vodka!"
The Guards LAUGH and JEER at him and move on. Once they're out of sight, Bond adopts a normal posture and walks out of the area. Unscrewing the bottom of the flask, he extracts a tiny DETONATOR. He casually tosses the flask away, in typical Daniel Craig fashion.
Round the corner, and Bond is in Red Square. We see the reason for the disguise - everyone else is wearing similar loud 'gangster' suits and Bond blends in perfectly. A PARKED CAR awaits with the engine running. Bond gets in to the back seat. Two Russians sit in the front.
Driver - You smell of cheap booze. Bond - Well, I am trying to blend in as a Russian.
Bond hands over the detonator. "Want to do the honors?" Russian Goon 1 "Da. I take any opportunity to blow up something American"
He hits the switch and BOOM, the warehouse goes up in flames.
Bond - "It's been a pleasure working with you". Goon 1 - "Unfortunately the job is not quite over, there is a loose end". Bond - "And what's that?" Goon 1 - "You."
The Driver produces a SILENCED PISTOL and aims it at Bond. A SHOT goes off and the Goon looks confused. BOND has shot the Driver through the seat.
Bond - Tell your boss next time you plan a doublecross, don't send two men with assassin tattoos on the backs of their hands.
The Driver SLUMPS forward, kicking the car into gear. The car ZOOMS forward, jolting both men back in their seats. The Goon SLIDES into the back and pulls a SWITCHBLADE. The gun is knocked out of Bond's hand as the two men STRUGGLE in the back.
The car ploughs straight through Red Square, completely out of control, scattering TOURISTS and MARKET VENDORS in all directions. Bond SLUGS the goon in the face, stunning him; as the car races towards a wall, Bond opens the front door and hurls the driver out. Unable to reach the handbrake in time, Bond turns the car, slamming its side into the wall. Shaken (not stirred), Bond steps out only to realize the goon is no longer in the car; he's halfway across the Square. Bond gives chase as the Goon takes refuge in St. Basil's Cathedral.
Bond bursts through the door, at the ready. The Goon is DEAD, lying in front of him, a clear bullet wound to the forehead. Confused, Bond looks around, but the place is completely deserted. Hearing distant police sirens, Bond turns to leave, when he notices a tiny object on the floor right in front of him, seemingly there for him to find. He picks it up, examines it, then tosses it away before leaving. The camera pans in to the small object, a silver lapel pin in the shape of a Q.
CBN PRESENTS
DANIEL CRAIG as Ian Fleming's James Bond 007
in
CBN MEMBERS' TALK OF THE DEVIL
Stana Katic Talulah Riley
Ray Stevenson
Jeremy Renner Lorna Morgan
John Astin Rebecca Hall Jesper Christensen
and Judi Dench
with Timothy Dalton as M
"Talk of the Devil" sung by Lady Gaga "Talk of the Devil" composed by Lady Gaga and David Arnold
Soundtrack by Ennio Morricone
Directed by Michael Mann
FRANCE
Bond uncovers the systematic murder of agents associated with the intelligence agencies of NATO countries that were involved in a given project. He plans to replace the remaining agent and eliminate the sniper that is taking out the agents.
A figure riding a motorbike and wearing a motorbike helmet is seen to be riding through the FRENCY COUNTRYSIDE, followed by a snipers scope. Just as the figure fingers the trigger, he feels the cold metal of a gun on the back of his head -
Meet JAMES BOND, 007.
"You've been a bad, bad boy," quips Bond. The sniper reacts, pushes Bond away from him and makes a run for it - with Bond's P99 getting thrown out of reach. The chase smashes through fields and country lanes, passes a cafe on a country lane where a man checks his wine bottle in disbelief at what he's just seen.
The chase eventually reaches a farmyard which is undergoing serious renovation. A game of cat and mouse occurs between the sniper and Bond, taking full advantage of the building site - until Bond has the sniper at his mercy. Dialogue quickly establishes this is the same sniper that Bond encountered in Moscow.
At his mercy, that is, until the sniper takes a cyanide pill and falls dead at Bond's feet. The problem is, the pair are in a building that has been rigged for demolishing - and as the sniper dies, the building starts to come down around Bond and the agent has to rush to escape.
Bond, frustrated, walks back through the farmyard, battered and bruised - as the motorbike and the leather clad motorbike rider, pulls up at the side of the road.
Only now do we notice the shapely curves in the leather and as the jet black helmet is removed, luxurious red hair falls free revealing that the rider is a beautiful, porcelain skinned woman - this is FLEUR.
After the reveal of Fleur, we'd presumably cut to MI6 where Bond would meet M's new Assistant Chief of Staff, Miss Moneypenny, as part of the new regime change via the new M. We'd get Judi Dench in a final appearance like Q in TWINE to hand over the reigns to Dalton, cue an "emotional" scene between her and Craig.
We then cut to...the surface of the moon! Where Russians are secretly mining uranium under the cover of a corporate space program, say, they are building the first commercial moon base. (If you want to anchor it in reality a bit more, we could explain that the uranium was uncovered as a result of NASA causing an explosion on the moon in 2009. EON usually likes to blame Americans at least once per Bond film). As the astronauts load the shuttle up with uranium, one astronaut inside (consults his list of stereotypical Russian names), PAVEL, cuts off the others' oxygen supply remotely, killing them all. He blasts off on his own, taking the uranium with him.
In the Earth's atmosphere, Pavel ejects the container of uranium at a predetermined point and the shuttle lands safely in a remote location in Siberia. Pavel emerges to be met by a man named COSTIGAN, who asks if the uranium was released safely at the exact location. Pavel answers yes, and Costigan promptly executes him.
A quick news report goes out in Russia claiming that the shuttle collided with a satellite and there were no survivors.
Back at MI6, Bond and the new M discuss these events. An obscure radar station in Venezuela reports a mystery object appearing briefly on the scope near Saba at the time of the "collision". (This report comes courtesy of South American section chief Felix Leiter, who since we have opted not to use him, doesn't have to be shown, or can appear briefly on a video conference screen, etc). And if we want to get cutesy with the in-jokes, we can have Dalton say something to Bond like "Ah yes, Felix Leiter, I know the man. Next time you see him, ask him how the leg is.". Looking at files on Maxim Rusayev, they find he owns property on Saba, so Bond is sent there to investigate.
SABA, NETHERLAND ANTILLES
Bond arrives at Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport and takes a taxi to the government house. Here he meets Serafin Melendez, an octogenarian in a crisp white suit and panama hat, the Head of Station for the Netherland Antilles. The Dutch and the islanders are giving MI6 a great deal of leeway into their investigation but he suggests taking a walk to a nearby cafe where they can speak freely.
Melendez is, it transpires, a former Double-Oh - it is heavily suggested that he may even have been a previous holder of the infamous 007 designation. Either way, it's clear that Bond has a lot of respect for the elder man and so has M, judging from the fact that they've kept an eighty year old in the field.
At the cafe, Bond orders two ice-cold beers from the buxom bartender -
"Hello, I'm Ti-ti"
"I never would have guessed"
Bond and Melendez discuss Rusayev on the bar patio overlooking the harbor and that he's expected to arrive tonight. Melendez points out a ruggedly handsome man flirting with women at the bar.
"His name's Costigan. Ace pilot, former US rangers until they threw him out for insubordination. Now he smuggles, or at least that's the rumor since no-one's actually caught him".
Melendez points out a luxurious silver yacht docked in the harbor and says that it belongs to Rusayev. As they watch, the rear of the yacht opens up and a sleek grey sports car drives up a ramp and onto the quay before turning down a street and vanishing.
Melendez has arranged for Bond to attend a charity gala event that Rusayev is throwing <for the launch of SEEL> Bond will go undercover as James Stock, a reporter for the London Financial Times writing a report on the corporate space program that Rusayev controls.
As Bond climbs into Melendez' sedan, Bond muses that they'll need a better car if they're to infiltrate the charity event. And on that we CUT to the BMW Concept Vision Efficient Dynamics pulling up outside of the building used to hold the charity event - the heads of other attendees turn.
There's a nice comedy moment here where Maxim pulls up in his car, drawing a crowd, until a tuxedoed Bond turns up in his BMW, and the crowd all turns to look at him instead. Cue Bond smiling politely at Maxim, who storms inside in a huff.
Inside the reception, Bond notices Corinne Veneau on the arms of Costigan who cuts a dashing figure in his tuxedo. Bond and Corinne meet each others gaze across the crowded room but no words are spoken.
Bond relays the sighting to Melendez who is listening in to Bond using an earpiece.
"I'll be damned. Corinne Veneau. A woman I once met. Canadian Intelligence, or she used to be."
"Canadian Intelligence? Didn't know there was such a thing."
Bond explains to Melendez how he met Corinne in Russia several years earlier after his adventure in Bolivia.
Maxim then makes his Big Villain Speech to the crowd, he announces the launch of SEEL (Soviet Environmental and Ecological Legislature), an organization to establish and regulate new green policies worldwide. Afterwards, he mingles and meets Bond. (Here we can maybe have a good old casino scene where Bond faces Maxim at the tables. Roulette, perhaps? Maxim goads him with "I hope you handle your money better than the British handle their oil, Mr.Stock". Of course Bond wins, and when Maxim hands him a check for his winnings, Bond refuses and says "Why don't we just donate that to the families of the victims of the recent shuttle disaster?". Maxim glowers at Bond and leaves but is cornered by Costigan and the two man step into a side-room for several minutes.
"Rusayev keeps some interesting company."
At the end of the night, Bond slips a coat check attendent a crisp note to slip a piece of paper into the pocket of Corinne's coat. When Corinne comes to retrieve her coat, alongside Costigan, she finds the piece of paper in it and unfolds it, covertly reading it as she climbs into Costigan's rental car.
"What is it?"
"Just a note to remind me of something I have to do tomorrow."
Corinne crumples the piece of paper up and drops it out of the window as the car moves along the only road on the island, the paper flutters down in the breeze to the gentle waves of the water as we -
It's the next day. Bond has found a table at Ti-ti's on the balcony overlooking the harbor. He is reading a copy of an international broadsheet which he folds in half and puts on the table - as Corinne Veneau, wearing a light cotton dress that plays in the breeze.
"I hoped never to see you again. But you just had to walk back in my life, James," says Corinne.
"For a woman who hoped never to see me again, you accepted my invitation to meet me for breakfast with little thought"
Bond tries to warn Corinne away from Costigan because of his questionable history in smuggling and the black market. He brings up the topic of Maxim Rusayev and asks why Costigan spent several minutes in private speaking to Rusayev the previous evening.
Corinne explains that Rusayev has hired Costigan to make aerial surveys of several oil pipelines on the Canada/Alaska border, making sure that the environment is safe. He's not involved in anything illegal, Corinne assures Bond - but the fact that Bond is making inquiries has raised her suspicions, though she won't admit it.
Her suspicions are raised enough that she brings up the question of the legality of the work that Costigan is doing for Rusayev whilst the pair sit in bed, the sheen of sweat on their bodies whilst Costigan enjoys a post coital cigarette. The fact that she questions him raises his ire and he becomes physically abusive to her - as she lies crumpled on the floor, tears streaking down her cheek she comes to her decision.
As Costigan sleeps, the thin sheets draped across his scarred yet muscled body, Corinne slips on her cotton dress and sneaks out of the house where she pays the receptionist of the hotel to deliver a message.
Bond and Melendez are enjoying the conversation on the balcony of the cafe when Ti-ti approaches and hands a slip of paper to Bond, containing the message from Corinne.
It explains that Costigan will be ferrying an unknown cargo from Saba to the Yukon early the following morning. Bond slips the piece of paper into his pocket, tells Melendez that he will need an early morning wake-up call.
It is the next morning and Bond is watching through binoculars as a canister is loaded onto Costigan's plane whilst it idles near the end of the runway at Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport. He takes a snap of the caniter and sends it, via picture-text (using his brand new Nokia cameraphone) to Loelia Ponsonbury at MI6.
As Costigan's plane starts to taxi down the runway, Bond feels a tranquiliser dart snap into his neck and sees Melendez aiming the tranquiliser gun.
Bond wakes to find he has been transported to an abandoned sulfur mine on the island that Rusayev owns and is tied to Corinne. Rusayev has housed a number of wild and dangerous animals in the caverns which have been secretly ventilated - though nobody will go near them for fear of falling victim to the sulfur fumes. Rusayev has been planting freziera undulata - a species of mahogany tree previously abundant on the island and the area is generally off limits.
Bond can't believe that Melendez has turned on the government he worked for and devoted his life to. Melendez apologises but he explains that Costigan was holding his granddaughter for Rusayev and would kill her if he didn't cooperate. Melendez feared what Costigan might subject his granddaughter to. Bond and Corinne know what the smuggler is capable of.
Rusayev has Melendez dropped into the caverns where he breaks his leg and howls in pain. The Russian clarifies that Melendez' granddaughter died the moment that Melendez agreed to his terms.
Bond and Corinne are dropped into the caverns where they try to help Melendez by fashioning a splint from their clothes and wood that has been dropped. The trio make their way through the dark caverns, fighting off an attack by a hungry lion.
Melendez sacrifices himself (and, ultimately redeems himself) to a pair of Siberian Tigers, allowing Bond and Corinne to escape through a tunnel that is submerged in a pool of water. Despite almost drowning as the tunnel is much longer than either person expected, they find a small hollow to take another breath before swimming the rest of the distance down the tunnel and emerging onto Saba's golden beach where they collapse into each others arms.
BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA
Corinne has been taken to the Dreamy Pines Motel in the Rocky Mountains where she is being guarded by MI6. However, Quantum have tracked Corinne down and have sent two men - Morant and Horowitz - to take her into custody. They claim to be working for the motel owner (whom they have killed by shooting him between the eyes so that his car veers off the road, over a cliff and into a valley where it explodes in a fireball) to get past the guards and shoot them. The guards are shot and after binding Corinne's hands and feet with rope and throwing her into the boot of the car, they douse the motel in petrol and throw a burning match onto the surface - the hotel bursts into flame.
Morant and Horowitz drive away from the burning motel with Corinne stashed in the boot of their car.
THE YUKON TERRITORIES, CANADA
Meanwhile, in Whitehorse, the capital of the Yukon. Rusayev appears at a public press conference announcing SEEL has formed a treaty with Canada (represented by the Premier of the Yukon) and the Alaskan governor to allow his teams to retrofit and restructure certain sections of pipeline in order to bring them up to new green standards (and thus he brings in trucks and equipment without arousing suspicion). Rusayev poses for a photo op with a slightly familiar looking Alaskan governor, who jokes about being able to see Russia from her house.
Elsewhere, MI6 have tracked Costigan to a remote airstrip in the Yukon Territories. It is a private airstrip and the ownership is tracked to one of Rusayev's companies. Bond has co-opted Fleur to help him infiltrate the airstrip, uncover whatever Rusayev has planned and to recover the mysterious cannister jettisoned from the shuttle that supposedly crashed in Siberia. The airstrip can be accessed only by a single road and that is under heavy guard. The only other option is to go cross country which would involve several miles of hiking and skiing - which is what happens as a helicopter skims low across the surface of a frozen lake and two figures wearing combat suits bungee out of the back. This is Bond and Fleur - and they unclip the bungee cord when they reach the ground before putting together skis and ski poles from the packs on their backs.
The duo set off across the snow covered landscapes, dodging around trees and closing on the airstrip, even climbing up a waterfall that has frozen solid. Fleur's ski SMASHES on the frozen waterfall and severely hampers their travel until Bond comes up with an idea. Fleur balances on Bond's ski's behind him and she holds on to his waist - as she hitches a lift, they fly across the snowy ground. As they get closer, they set off a perimeter alarm and a squad of guards on snowmobiles are dispatched by Costigan on skis, snow mobiles and a caterpillar tracked antarctic snow cruiser carrying a squad of troops. It is clear that this is a major offensive for the organisation as their plan depends on the succesfull maintenance of the staging post at the airfield. There follows a pitched fight between Bond, Fleur and the guards - as Bond and Fleur's ski-poles are revealed to mask rifles and their ski-goggles double as targeting scanners and night-vision goggles. Bond fells the final guard with a precisely placed shot to the head - and he and Fleur swap suits into the uniforms of the guards before climbing onto the antarctic snow cruiser and moving onwards to the airstrip.
At the airstrip, Costigan is supervising scientists unloading the uranium from the canister and manufacturing a low yield nuclear bomb that Rusayev wants him to eject from his plane in a precisely placed drop zone near an oil pipeline on the Alaska/Canada border. Several bombs have been placed - this will be the last.
Bond and Fleur infiltrate the airstrip and uncover a list of locations the bombs have been planted. As Fleur is radioing in the locations, Costigan shoots her through the heart and engages in a face-off with Bond. Costigan claims to be sad that Fleur is near death and that he hasn't had intercourse with her - but, he points out, that the other party being dead hasn't stopped him before. Bond is disgusted. The pair engage in a close quarters fight through the airstrip complex - and Bond learns that Corinne has been kidnapped from protective custody and is being held by Rusayev. If the bombs don't detonate, then the Russian will shoot Corinne.
Costigan dies when Bond pushes him into the rotor blade of an idling plane and blood splatters everywhere. Bond radio's for a team to come in and recover the uranium and secure the airstrip.
CHINA
His plan exposed and the authorities coming for him, Rusayev flees over the Russian border into China, taking Corinne and his last squad of loyal men with him. There he has a hidden base at a former Chinese Army arms depot in the Flaming Mountains (a desert region, to balance with the tropical and icy locales we've used so far!). In a huge hangar, we find an AX-21 aircraft. Hmm, wasn't this the thing that Bond destroyed in the PTS? Why, yes. Through some dialogue probably involving M and "his opposite numbers in Moscow", General Anatol Gogol of the SVR and they piece together that the AX-21 was stolen from a CIA facility by Costigan and delivered to Moscow. But, anticipating the west would be onto the theft quickly, Rusayev left a dummy lookalike plane in the Red Square warehouse, secretly moving the real one to a foreign location - but where? What's so special about this plane? It is able to completely submerge, dive, and travel underwater.
Mr White arrives at the warehouse with a team of Quantum technicians and goons to take possession of the AX 21. It's clear that Mr White (and, by default, Quantum as a whole) are disappointed with the way that Rusayev has handled the operation to bomb the pipelines sitting on the Alaska/Canada border but are taking their payment for lending him the help he requested - the AX-21. Mr White's personnel secure the AX-21 on a larger plane and Mr White climbs into a Sikorsky CH-53 and vanishes over the horizon leaving Rusayev to his fate.
As the Sikorsky CH-53 vanishes into the distance and the heat haze, Mr White pulls out his cell phone and dials a number. CUT TO the airstrip in the Yukon where Bond picks up his phone -
Mr White - James, such a pleasure to hear your voice again. It seems that we're dealing with the same person. I'd like to lend a hand. There's an arms depot in the Flaming Mountains that the PLA would have you think is abandoned - it isn't. Take these numbers down - you will find the arms depot at these coordinates ...
Bond listens as Mr White gives the GPS coordinates of the arms depot and as the call comes to an end, we see Mr White wind down the window of the helicopter and drop the phone out into the air until it tumbles to the ground and smashes to pieces on the hard desert floor.
Bond contacts M, who arranges with the CIA (and Felix?) for a special forces team to join Bond in storming the Chinese compound. We see a "preparation" scene where everyone suits up and loads their weapons, set to an Audioslave song in true Michael Mann fashion.
The team blows open the entrance and invades the hideout; a huge firefight breaks out inside the base, a classic "big team battle" style climax a la GF, YOLT, TSWLM, etc.
Bond chases Rusayev into a huge hangar/garage filled with jets, jeeps, and a tanker truck. Rusayev surprises Bond and strikes him with a tire iron; a brutal physical fight between the two men ensues. Bond is slammed against a control desk in the middle of the room as Rusayev takes out a gun from a hidden compartment in the desk.
He gloats as he has Bond at gunpoint; cue a mad speech somewhere along the lines of "You have won nothing, Bond. I will strike again in a matter of weeks; with Quantum's backing, all accusations against me will be dismissed as lies and propaganda."
"Speaking of lies, Maxim, who do you think told me where to find you? You're a man without a country, and without a friend"
As Rusayev realizes he's been given up, a radio report blasts out from the console "Sir, we're being overwhelmed! Recommend activate self destruct sequ---!" as gunfire cuts the voice off. While Rusayev is distracted, Bond HITS a switch on the console and the ROOF OPENS UP, instantly bathing the room in sunlight.
Rusayev SCREAMS as he's exposed to the light and flails around wildly, looking for an escape. (*Did we keep in that scene where we explain he's allergic to sunlight?) Bond grabs the gun as two of Maxim's soldiers burst in; Bond drops them both in a shootout as Maxim crawls into an office.
Maxim locks himself into the office: Bond shoots at the window but it's bulletproof, the heavy door won't budge. Through the glass, Maxim holds up his cellphone and says he's just dialled in the destruct code; Bond has five minutes to get out. He demands to know where Corinne is; Maxim tells him she's locked in a room on the far side of the compound. "Should take you about four minutes to get there. Or you can stay and see that I die. Your choice, Bond". Angrily, Bond leaves, knowing Maxim will escape as soon as he's left the room.
Bond runs out of the room, through the ongoing shootout, tells the CIA to get out of there, and then finds Corinne tied to a chair in a hidden room. The two race back out through the complex as explosions go off, huge girders and debris collapsing everywhere. Dodging into the hangar as wreckage caves in, Bond sees the office is empty and the tanker truck has gone. Most of the vehicles are on fire or can't be moved, but leaning against the wall is a battered motorbike...
The two get on the back and Bond races out through the exit tunnel, steering to avoid collapsing beams, and vaulting over burning debris. If we want to do an over the top stunt, try a barrel roll/flip maneuver, say something like this :
Bond and Corinne emerge from the exit as the complex collapses into the ground behind them. The surviving assault team are waiting for an airlift as their truck was destroyed in the blast. Bond looks to see a small moving speck in the distance disappearing along a dirt round...Maxim in the tanker truck.
Bond gets a machine pistol from one of the assault team and starts up the bike again, Corinne getting on the back.
Bond - What do you think you're doing? Corinne - What do you think YOU'RE doing? I'm going after him! Bond - Get off the bike, you'll just slow me down. Corinne - You know, the longer you sit here arguing, the further away he's getting.
Bond rolls his eyes and heads off after the truck, Corinne sitting behind him. As they move away from the troops, Corinne reaches out and GRABS a M72 LAW single shot rocket launcher from one of the CIA men and slings it on her back.
The chase is on...
Bond guns the accelerator and the bike whips through barren sandstone landscape, the mountains rising in the background and the tanker truck coming closer, the faster bike closing the distance in next to no time. Corinne, wielding the M72 LAW tries to get off a shot at the truck but can't get a good lock on it - after all, she is forced to admit, she was an accountant for Canadian Intelligence and not a sniper. Bond and Corinne swap positions without cutting speed - it's a dangerous and deadly maneuvere but it works. Just. Corinne almost gets flipped from the bike and ends up with a nasty scrape down her exposed thigh. But now, Bond is able to maneuvere the M72 LAW and brings the tanker truck into his sights, fingers the trigger and BLASTS the tanker truck to kingdom come.
Rusayev is thrown free of the truck - he's bleeding heavily after being thrown through the windscreen and rolling across the truck. As Bond and Corinne dismount the motorbike, Rusayev throws himself through the desert at the entrance to the Bezeklik Caves rising in front of him. He rolls down an incline into the courtyard before ducking into the shade of an entrance way. Bond and Corinne follow and therein follows a cat and mouse chase through the seventy seven rock-cut Thousand Buddha Caves. Bond eventually corners Rusayev on the balcony that overlooks a valley with a winding river running through it - there are no tourists in sight, the attraction is closed. It's just Bond, Corinne and Rusayev.
Bond aims his P99 at Rusayev - as the thundering sound of a helicopters rotors rises from the valley below the caves. Rusayev climbs into the open door of the helicopter and waves adieu to Bond. The helicopter, with machine guns attached to its landing skids angles to face Bond - in slow motion, Bond and the pilot look at each other as the pilots finger closes on the trigger and Bond dives for the cover of one of the caves.
KA-BLOOM! The helicopter blossoms into an immense fireball. Corinne stands off to the side with another machine gun that Bond grabbed at the depot, she drops it and runs over to Bond as the flaming helicopter crashes into the valley floor and explodes - shooting another giant fireball into the sky. As Bond takes Corinne into his arms and takes a moment to take a deep breath, he turns to her and raises a questioning eyebrow -
"Lucky shot," she shrugs.
MI6 HEADQUARTERS
It is a late night at MI6 and M is burning the midnight oil, through the open doorway to his office we can see Moneypenny sitting at her desk, speaking on the phone. She puts the phone down, edges into the doorway as M looks up from the paperwork he was completing.
Moneypenny: The Americans impounded the flight AX-42 as it passed over the Korean Peninsula with fighters from their Kunsan Air Base. No sign of Mr White, though -
M: And Double-Oh Seven?
Moneypenny makes an innuendo laden response and M frowns - it's clear he knows EXACTLY what Bond is doing and there's nothing he can do about it. He sighs as we:
Saba, Netherland Antilles
"No television, no radio, no telephone ..." whispers Bond as he runs his fingers up Corinne's sweat slick abdomen. He's lying on his stomach, tastefully naked as a thin cotton blanket is draped across both himself and the Canadian woman. The balcony doors are open and the sounds of the Saba rainforest drift in and fills the simple luxury of the Ecolodge on Saba.
"Whatever are we going to do, ma cherie?"
Bond pulls her closer, propping himself up on a muscular forearm and laying a kiss on her lips. She responds, hungrily and greedy.
"I don't know," responds Bond. "But I'm sure we can find something to occupy our time ..."
He rolls on top of her as we pull out through the open doors of the ecolodge and into the gentle sounds of the rainforest, further out to the exotic landscape of the island of Saba and we hear - "Oh, James ..."
Well, I finally got around to reading the whole thing, and I can honestly say I'm pretty impressed with how fluidly everything came together. Hopefully the other participants soon follow suit and enjoy the story in its entirety.
I liked it, but I think I would have liked the AX-21 worked into the plot a little bit more. It appears at the beginning, which is well enough, but at the end it kind of feels like it was reintroduced to add a final sequence into the film and it sort of appears out of nowhere to suddenly be important to the plot.
